I have been a member of a Theme Camp since 2002 and our Theme Camp has been in existence since 1999. Our camp members spend time and money creating new elements, related to the year's theme, for our camp ... with the expectation that they will be able to attend the event. Now that the ability to attend depends on luck and the depth of your pocket, what is the incentive for Theme Camp members to spend their time and money ?I believe the way to overcome the excessive demand for tickets is to limit the demand by qualify the attendees. For example: 1) Don't allow anyone in after Tuesday at noon. How can you contribute to the 'feeling of community' when you don't show up until Thursday night. 2) Strictly require that all Theme Camps actually contribute to the community. Too many look like parking lots or have a mish-mash of old things from previous years instead of following the year's theme 3) Require Art Cars and Mutant Vehicles be more then a pickup with some chairs in the back and some decorations tied on.Isn't the goal to create a community of committed people? We should be trying to improve the quality of the event by optimizing the attendance and not by maximizing the attendance (and the proceeds, of course).

The concept of community may be difficult for some to understand. A group of the self possessed is not a community to aspire. But it does seem to have become a major problem in our country. Individuality is very important, but the responsible individual will realize that some sacrifices must be made for the good of the whole. After all, that is what differentiates us from the lesser beasts.

Determining a persons worthiness and contributiveness based on their arrival time is silly. I've seen early arrivers sit on their duff all week and homestead a football field, and I've had Thursday night arrivers dive in and make an instant positive impact on our camp and city.

"2) Strictly require that all Theme Camps actually contribute to the community."

This is highly subjective. I agree that there are many RV fortress "theme" camps, but how do you define the criteria of what a contribution is? Larry wanders around and green tags you? We have a 'people's choice' award?

"3) Require Art Cars and Mutant Vehicles be more then a pickup with some chairs in the back and some decorations tied on." I think the DMV already does that.

clerkkent wrote:"3) Require Art Cars and Mutant Vehicles be more then a pickup with some chairs in the back and some decorations tied on." I think the DMV already does that.

and in doing so it doesnt stop idiots driving around in their pickup truck with some chairs in the back and decorations tied on.. before they get caught by the cops and ticketed for driving around in an unregistered vehicle..

also, dont forget.. theres hundreds of people who get handicapped vehicle permits.. and these allow people to drive their normal vehicle around,.. unadorned with art.. some people choose to snazz up their vehicle..

also.. staff and vendor vehicles ride around..

theres no reason to believe that any vehicle you see driving around with little decorations was approved by the DMV, or approved to be driving around at burning man at all..

edit: ..and dont forget that there is always going to be vehicles that are on the bar of acceptance and might not be as great as some of the best examples of mutant vehicles.. this bar changes year to year as people get more creative with their creations.. theres a very real possibility the vehicle that wasnt so awesome that you saw in 2010 was told to step up their game in 2011 or not get admitted..

I had started this thread by pointing out a possible issue that could impact Theme Camps and then proposed some possible solutions. It seems this was too much at once and everyone commented on my proposals and completely overlooked the issue. So I'll try again with just the issue:

I have been a member of a Theme Camp since 2002 and our Theme Camp has been in existence since 1999. Our camp members spend time and money creating new elements, related to the year's theme, for our camp ... with the expectation that they will be able to attend the event. Now that the ability to attend depends on luck and the depth of your pocket, what is the incentive for Theme Camp members to spend their time and money ?

I don't see the "incentive" changing much. Often times people have ticket in hand and can't attend for some unexpected reason. But the theme camp goes on. Now the lottery will enter into this haphazardness as well.

JKhttp://www.mudskippercafe.comWhen I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle.Then I realised that the Lord doesn't work that way so I stole one and asked Him to forgive me.

If your theme camp members are unable or unwilling to work or contribute to your camp projects unless they have ticket certainty, then that is their choice. Perhaps they should wait until after they learn the results of the Main Sale.

It's hard for me to just say "its not a problem for me" or "not a problem for my campmates" because we're still bouncing ideas around in the design phase. The real 'work sessions' (and spendy parts) won't happen for a few months yet. But I've contributed to and worked on a few projects that were intended for events I wasn't attending, and helped camps/projects in years we weren't going to the playa. If it's something I'm really into I don't care, I just want to work on the project or help out my friends.

wh..sh wrote:I think the reason people are at their creative best at BM is because they are not forced to be so.Adding more rules to this event will eventually kill it.

Actually know. We work best and are more creative when situations have limits. Give someone pencils and paper and tell them to draw something, they aren't like to come up with something all that good. Give them pencils and paper and tell them to draw a sea monster, and they are going to come up with something.

The Lady with a Lamprey

"The powerful are exploiting people, art and ideas, and this leads to us plebes debating how to best ration ice.Man, no wonder they always win....." Lonesomebri